Core Insights - The issuance of new special bonds in China has stabilized around 4 trillion yuan for 2023 and 2024 after reaching a historical high in 2022 [1][2] - Special bonds have become a crucial policy tool for local governments to stabilize investment and mitigate risks [2] - The issuance scale of new special bonds is projected to reach 44 trillion yuan by 2025, which is over 48 times the amount issued in 2015 [2] Group 1: Issuance Trends - The overall issuance of special bonds has seen rapid growth since 2015, but the growth rate has slowed down during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period compared to the "13th Five-Year Plan" [2] - The core reason for the slowdown in issuance growth is the need for special bond limits to align with government fund budget revenues and project returns [2] - The issuance of new special bonds reached nearly 2.2 trillion yuan by the end of June 2023, with a progress rate of 49.1%, surpassing the 37.2% rate from the previous year [5] Group 2: Allocation of Funds - The funds from new special bonds are primarily allocated to three main areas: project construction (1.5 trillion yuan, 69.6%), debt resolution (464.78 billion yuan, 21.5%), and land acquisition (192.49 billion yuan, 8.9%) [6] - Some provinces are directing a significant portion of new special bond funds towards resolving hidden debt and settling overdue payments to enterprises [6] - The recent policy changes have diversified the use of new special bonds, allowing them to be used for repaying overdue enterprise payments and addressing hidden debt, rather than being limited to projects with certain returns [6][7] Group 3: Policy Changes - The State Council's recent opinions have expanded the scope of special bond projects through a "negative list" approach, allowing more fields to receive support [3] - The 2025 issuance limit for new special bonds has been raised to 4.4 trillion yuan, reflecting a 10% increase to address economic stability and risk prevention needs [2][3] - The repayment sources for special bonds have also been broadened, allowing local governments to use general public budgets for repayment, enhancing financial flexibility [7]

Core Viewpoint - Sichuan Province will issue special refinancing bonds amounting to 11.541 billion yuan on May 20 to replace existing hidden debts [1] Group 1 - The issuance of special refinancing bonds is aimed at addressing the issue of hidden debts within the province [1] - The total amount of bonds to be issued is 11.541 billion yuan [1]